Autopsy shows Tennessee National Guard fatally shot 20-year-old armed man in the back

Key Points:

• Tennessee National Guard members fatally shot 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson in the back during a July incident in Memphis, contradicting official accounts that he was facing them when shot, according to an autopsy report obtained by the Associated Press.
• Authorities claimed Johnson turned toward the troops with a gun while fleeing, but the autopsy shows a bullet entered his right back and exited his chest, consistent with being shot while running away.
• The shooting occurred after a call about shots fired near Beale Street, with Guard members reporting Johnson pointed a handgun at them before they fired; however, no criminal charges have been filed, and the investigation remains open.
• Johnson’s family disputes the law enforcement narrative, highlighting inconsistencies between the autopsy and official reports, and they have not been shown any surveillance footage of the incident.
• The manner of death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, but this classification does not imply legal culpability; Johnson was carrying a handgun magazine with rounds, which was legal in Tennessee.